Washington: US President Donald Trump is set to meet Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, at the White House on Monday, as efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict with Iran encounter significant obstacles.
According to the White House schedule, the two leaders will hold a closed door meeting. US Vice President JD Vance is also expected to meet the Qatari prime minister separately, Reuters reported, citing an American official.
The meeting comes as Qatar continues to act as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, conveying diplomatic proposals and seeking to resolve disagreements over Iran's nuclear programme and the conditions required to end the conflict.
Washington reports limited progress in negotiations
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that negotiations with Iran made little progress and that a diplomatic breakthrough did not appear imminent.
Speaking before departing Florida for a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris, Rubio said the Trump administration continued to favour a negotiated settlement.
However, he rejected several Iranian demands, calling them unacceptable and unrealistic.
His comments highlighted the ongoing differences between Washington and Tehran despite diplomatic efforts by Qatar and other regional intermediaries.
The two sides have yet to agree on the conditions necessary to end the conflict or to resolve disputes over Iran's nuclear activities.
Trump links further military action to diplomatic outcome
On Sunday, Trump indicated that further US military strikes against Iran were highly unlikely if negotiations showed progress towards a strong agreement.
However, he warned that Washington identified additional infrastructure targets, including bridges, should military operations resume.
The remarks underscored the administration's position: pursue diplomacy while keeping the option of further military action open.
The United States did not announce a new agreement with Iran or disclose a confirmed timetable for finalising negotiations.
Qatar continues its mediation efforts
Qatar maintained diplomatic contact with both Washington and Tehran, seeking to narrow differences on the terms of a possible settlement.
The Gulf state repeatedly urged the parties to pursue negotiations to prevent the conflict from escalating.
Monday's meeting enables the Qatari leadership to discuss the latest proposals directly with Trump and senior US officials.
However, the White House did not publicly set out a detailed agenda or indicate whether the talks could lead to a new diplomatic initiative.
With significant disagreements remaining over Iran's nuclear programme and the terms for ending the conflict, the outcome of the meeting will depend on whether the parties can agree on acceptable conditions for further negotiations.
